UNIT 9: WEATHERING
AND SOIL DEVELOPMENT
After Unit 9 you should be able to:
o Accurately identify common types of weathering
o Understand what types of weathering are associated with certain
climatic conditions
o Be able to identify resistances to weathering in bedrock diagrams
o Understand what happens to sediments as they are transported in a
stream
o Understand the process of cavern and sinkhole formation
o Understand the process of soil development
Unit 9 vocabulary you should be able to use and understand:
o Weathering o Particle size
o Erosion o Surface area
o Deposition o Bedrock resistance
o Physical weathering o Hardness
o Chemical weathering o Mineral composition
o Frost wedging o Rock outcrop
o Abrasion o Cap rock
o Pressure unloading o Waterfall
o Rounded o Soil
o Angular o Biologic activity
o Striations o A soil horizon
o Polished o B soil horizon
o Acidic o C soil horizon
o Sinkhole o Precipitation
o Cavern o Arid
o Chemical sedimentary o Humid
rocks o Strata
o Climate
o Bedrock
The next two units focus on leveling forces, or the breakdown and transport
of rock particles through weathering, erosion, and deposition. These
processes are part of the rock cycle that make sediments available for
compaction and cementation to become sedimentary rock. Landscapes
change dramatically as a result of these processes, as you will learn. New
York State is (with the exception of the Adirondack doming) being
dominated by leveling forces. Unit 9 focuses on the processes that break
down rock into sediments.
What is weathering?
Weathering is the gradual
breakdown of rock over time
This should not be confused
with erosion, which is the
removal of rock and rock
particles from an area
Deposition is the stopping or
settling out of rocks and rock
particles
Types of Weathering:
Physical or Mechanical
Chemical
Physical (Mechanical) Weathering
Major Contributors:
1. Frost Wedging
2. Root Wedging
3. Abrasion
What is frost wedging?
Frost wedging occurs when water
enters cracks in rock and freezes
As water freezes, it expands 9% and
pries the rock apart
What is root wedging?
Root wedging occurs as the roots of
trees and other plants grow into
cracks in rock
Over time, the growth and expansion
of these roots slowly pries apart the
rock.
Abrasion
Abrasion is the breakdown of rock as
it is scraped by loose rock particles
In rivers abrasion results in rocks that
are rounded rather than angular
Glacial abrasion results in polishing of
rock and striations (parallel scratches)
Wind-blown sand pits rock facing the
wind
What is chemical weathering?
Chemical weathering is the
breakdown of rock due usually to
contact with acidic ground or
rainwater
Contact with oxygen can result in
chemical weathering as well
Consequences of Chemical Weathering
Sinkholes Caves
Cave and Sinkhole Formation
Chemical Weathering of Strata (Layers)
Rocks such as gypsum, rock salt
(halite), and limestone are most
susceptible to chemical weathering
(all chemically formed sedimentary
rocks)
What affects rates of weathering?
Climate
Bedrock type
How does climate contribute to
weathering?
Warm, wet climates contribute to
higher rates of chemical weathering
because there is an increased
presence of groundwater
Cooler Climates
Frost wedging is more common in
climates with moderate
precipitation and temperatures that
vary above and below freezing
In New York, this results in pothole
formation on area roads
Particle Size
As rocks break apart, their surface
area increases and the rate of
weathering increases due to increased
chemical and physical contact with the
rock material
Bedrock Resistance
Certain bedrock types are more
resistant than others due to mineral
composition and hardness
More resistant layers stick out
farther in outcrops (exposures) of
rock
Waterfalls result from varying
bedrock resistance. Niagara Falls
has a hard cap rock of dolostone
which resists weathering while less
resistant rocks below are
weathered away. Eventually the
unsupported cap rock collapses and
falls into the river below. Niagara
Falls is steadily moving upstream
due to this process.
Weathering and Soil
Over time, weathering of surface
bedrock will produce soil
Soil depth is determined by the rate
and period of weathering as well as
biological (life) activity
Layers of Soil
A-Horizon: topsoil, rich in organic
matter
B-Horizon: Subsoil, color changes, small
particles of weathered rock
C-Horizon: Partially weathered parent
material
Bedrock (un-weathered parent
material)
Soil Depth
Soil depth is largely dependent on the
amount of water (precipitation) present in
that part of the world. This chart from the
Earth Science Reference Tables allows us to
infer where deeper soil will be.
Increased precipitation increased
weathering deeper soil
Soils in Arid (dry) Regions
Consider soil from the Sonoran desert in
the SW United States. Mostly sand, this
soil was created when rock weathered
primarily as a result of abrasion by wind-
blown sand particles
Soil depth varies, bedrock exposed,
mostly physical weathering from
wind-blown sand, rock and sediments
are pitted
Soils in Humid (wet) Regions
Consider soil from the rainforests along
the equator. Soil is deep as a result of
consistent contact with water.
Warmth and moisture lead mostly to
chemical weathering
At higher latitudes, cold and moisture
allow frost wedging to prevail
